Things you may not know about Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a confusing place, especially if you have never been yourself

Gibraltar has its own political system that makes many decisions within the territory but issues like defence and foreign affairs are determined by the UK Government in London

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The Costa Blanca has long been a home to many British people

There is no British exodus on the Costa Blanca, [the figures] are inflated for political reasons

Sonja Dietz , president of the Business Circle of Marina Alta

However, disputed local census reports claim the population is dwindling suggesting the 'Anglo Saxons' are leaving in their droves.

In San Miguel de las Salinas, where British people outnumber the locals, apparently 43 per cent have gone in eight years.

In Benitatxell, 124 kilometres to the north, it is said approximately 50 per cent have gone.

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Around 130,000 people from the UK are thought to live in the Costa Blanca

In Benissa the population has dropped by 44 per cent, in Teulada by 49 per cent, as well as a 55 per cent drop in San Fulgencio.

While the same data says that the Spanish population in the region is growing by an average of five per cent each year.

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The EU is deliberately stalling on giving people their rights

However, locals strongly dispute the claims Britons are leaving in their droves.

Sonja Dietz , president of the Business Circle of Marina Alta told El Confidencial: "There is nothing happening.

"There is no British exodus on the Costa Blanca, [the figures] are inflated for political reasons.

"Our businesses have not been affected, not even the real estate.

"In fact, prices are rising.

"The only thing we have noticed is that the cheap housing in the area is over and that has slowed the arrival of new residents a bit."

The majority of the British people living in Spain are pensioners who moved there for the sun.

Estimates by the Institute of Economic Studies of the Province of Alicante (INECA), say Britons add more than 2,300 million euros to the province each year.

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Irish, Scottish, English, Welsh and Spanish live side by side in the Costa Blanca

Despite this Britons are being refused their basic rights to ascertain their legal status as the EU continues to dig its heels in.

Local resident Tina Brown said: "Until Brexit everything was happiness here, the biggest concern we had was how to validate a driving licence.

"Now there is fear, everyone asks what will happen, but we do not know."

While there has been little in the way of political support for leaving the EU, the issue of Spain-exit is being discussed in conservative circles.

Observer Merrick Wells wrote in Spanish constitution site Diario Espanol: "For all the hand wringing, uncertainty and political manipulation, this can be solved rapidly and amicably if either Government was carrying out their job to protect and provide for their citizens.

"Many recognise the second layer of machinations as the Scottish Nationalists seek to exploit the uncertainty of the uncharted waters we occupy.

"This touches the nerve of Madrid insecurity over the soluble nature of the ties that bind Spain.

"Once again political self interest outweighs pragmatism and increasingly it seems that Spain now finds itself facing a cold wind of hostility from Brussels, I mean Strasbourg, or wherever they are meeting this week.

"Until Brexit, Spain was safe in her position of defiance against legacy state membership, now, as it serves the paymasters in Brussels to tantalise the Scots into landing political body blows on Westminster, the cost of maintaining the viability of the EU experiment may be nation states themselves, including Spain".